GME are expanding our focus into the Manchester region.
The move has been building for a couple of years, with active contracts, a growing pipeline and an increasing number of approaches from Manchester FMs, estates teams and commissioning officers making the case for themselves.
We know that there's a wrong way and a right way to expand a regional contractor into a new city, and we want to be clear about which one we're choosing.
Manchester is one of the most active commercial property markets in the UK. The city's growth has driven sustained investment across housing, hospitality, healthcare, education and the wider built environment.
For a multi-trade contractor like GME, that means meaningful demand across every sector we work in. Hotels and student accommodation refurbishment cycles. Social housing stock with significant damp, mould and ventilation needs under Awaab's Law.
School and college estates working to the same summer windows we deliver against in Yorkshire. Healthcare facilities running planned and reactive programmes alongside live operations.
We've been delivering projects in Manchester for some time but the shift now is from project-by-project work to a proper regional presence: people on the ground, an established supply chain and the operational scale to take on framework and multi-site contracts across the city.
Every site we work on in Manchester will be subject to the same commitments we apply across the rest of the business.
Local employment: Where the work is in Manchester, the team on it should reflect Manchester. Apprenticeships and training placements form a structured part of how we expand, not an afterthought added when a tender asks for them.
Local supply chain: Subcontractors, suppliers and ancillary services kept in the region wherever possible. The economic benefit of every contract should be felt by the community it's delivered in.
Community investment: The same approach we've taken in Yorkshire applied in Manchester from the outset, not just bolted on once we've established ourselves. Charity fundraising, school donations, grassroots sports sponsorship and community improvement projects have all formed part of how GME has operated in Yorkshire for years, and they form part of how we'll operate in Manchester.
Tendering commitments that are deliverable: Yes, it’s true that social value commitments score well in tender evaluations. But the more important reason is that growing the GME team into a new city carries an obligation to the people who live there. Manchester gives us work; so we should give something meaningful back.
The reason we're confident in those commitments is that we've been delivering against them in Yorkshire for years.
Our apprenticeship programme is active and growing, with placements running across multiple trades. We sponsor grassroots football and contribute to community sports infrastructure. We fundraise for hospices and donate to schools across the region. Site teams are encouraged to volunteer locally on company time. Supply chain spend stays in the region wherever the work allows.
Plenty of contractors talk about social value in their tender submissions. The track record we've built in Yorkshire is what gives us the confidence to commit to it in Manchester from the outset, rather than once we're established.
If you're a Manchester FM, estates manager, social housing commissioner or anyone running a multi-site programme in the city, we'd welcome a conversation.
The way we're approaching the work is the same way we've approached it for the past 17 years across Yorkshire.
To talk to GME about a project, programme or framework opportunity in Manchester, call us on 01924 723723, email enquiries@gmegroup.co.uk or fill in the form below. You can also read more about our social value programme and explore our case studies.
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